Nigeria's air traffic controllers have threatened to withdraw their services unless the Federal Government produces a clear plan to overhaul the country's ageing communication and surveillance infrastructure. The warning, delivered on Tuesday at the Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers' Association's 55th Annual General Meeting in Ikeja, Lagos, puts airlines and airport operators on notice that flight disruptions could follow.

Why are controllers threatening to walk out?

NATCA President Edino Ilemona Amos said repeated procurement announcements and regulatory approvals have produced no measurable change at the console. Controllers continue to manage aircraft with unreliable frequencies and inadequate surveillance equipment.

"Despite the considerable challenges faced by ATCOs across the length and breadth of the country, there has been no significant improvement in our communication and surveillance infrastructure," Amos stated.

"We acknowledge the approvals and procurement milestones that have been announced. However, these have yet to translate into a material improvement in the equipment available to controllers at the console."

He framed the possible withdrawal as professional necessity rather than brinkmanship. "It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I state that this frustrating engagement is pushing the Association towards considering the withdrawal of our services, should there be no clear strategic plan for the total overhaul of communication and surveillance infrastructure in Nigeria," he warned.

What does the infrastructure failure look like in practice?

Under the conference theme "Beyond Silos to Synergy: Shaping the Future of Nigerian Air Traffic Management," Amos argued that air traffic management depends on seamless coordination among communication, navigation, surveillance, meteorology, airport operations and regulatory systems. Operating these components in isolation exposes controllers to avoidable operational risk.

"When these parts operate in isolation, the consequences are felt most acutely by the controller at the console: when a frequency fails, when harmattan conditions disrupt operations at Kano and Abuja, or when surveillance is lost along the Lagos–Abuja corridor," Amos noted.

NATCA says a comprehensive overhaul would improve airspace safety, reduce airline losses, raise government revenue through additional flight movements, strengthen national security and lift Nigeria's international aviation safety ratings.

The association has submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly advocating predictable, ring-fenced funding for aviation infrastructure. It has also engaged the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency on security questions.

Where is progress being made?

Manpower development is the bright spot. More than 100 student controllers are training at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria and the Nigerian Air Force Air Traffic Services Training Centre. Sixty controllers completed Fatigue Risk Management training in 2025 under a Memorandum of Understanding with United ATS, Cairo.

Amos credited these programmes with Nigeria's 91.45 per cent Effective Implementation score at the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission in April 2026. Another batch of 60 controllers is receiving Air Traffic Flow Management training during the Lagos AGM, with further partnerships being finalised with Jordan Aviation College and ATOM, Dubai. NATCA is also pursuing certification as an Approved Training Organisation to serve Nigeria and the wider African region.

Nigerian controllers also gained regional leadership at the 37th IFATCA Africa and Middle East Regional Meeting in Amman: Mallam Ahmad Abba was re-elected Executive Vice President for the region and Shettima Babazau became Regional Vice President for West Africa.

What happens to pay and careers?

Amos warned that inflation has eroded the benefits of the basic salary review NAMA management previously implemented. Some senior controllers have sat on the same grade level for as long as 14 years without promotion. "Nothing can be more frustrating than giving one's best and bowing out with nothing," he remarked.

NATCA called for a review of the Aeromedical Allowance and Rating Allowance, and for retaining experienced controllers until 65 or re-engaging them under equitable contracts. The measures, it said, would prevent a sudden loss of experienced personnel and preserve institutional knowledge.

Separately, the association completed and commissioned its Secretariat and Guest House in Port Harcourt within six months, ending a project stalled for 29 years. The facility will provide transit accommodation to reduce fatigue, serve as a training base, and NATCA plans to replicate it at major airports nationwide. Amos closed by urging collaboration among NAMA management, engineers, regulators and the National Assembly to close the infrastructure gap.